Classics: Chanel — Rouge Noir (Le Vernis Longwear) Swatch & Review

First order of business: Toronto FC are in the MLS Cup Final! Last night, after ten years of existence, my hometown team finally won the Eastern Conference Championship—against rivals Montreal Impact, no less. Toronto FC will now play for the MLS Cup against Western Conference Champions Seattle Sounders FC. Coincidentally, I also spent part of my childhood in Seattle, but I’ll no doubt be supporting TFC in the final.

Second order of business is that today marks the 21-year anniversary of the first date my husband and I ever went on! That night, we saw a movie at the Uptown and had an after-movie coffee and dessert at a nearby Swiss Chalet. (We were poor students, what can I say? We also had dinner at the university cafeteria before heading out! Mmm romantic.) Both locations are now sadly defunct, but we’re still going strong!

We ordered in Swiss Chalet last night, for the first time in three or four years, to celebrate. Gotta love the Festive Special that comes with Lindor chocolates!

Finally, today’s nail polish! Today is indeed Throwback Thursday, though I’m filing it under Classics as well, since it’s the original color in a new formulation.

Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Rouge Noir (18)

Chanel’s Rouge Noir (18) was originally launched in 1995, though it made its first appearance on Uma Thurman’s nails in 1994’s Pulp Fiction. The shade is usually credited with popularizing the use of all kinds of non-traditional nail polish colors, particularly dark and “vampy” shades. This is around the time brands like Urban Decay and Hard Candy started to make it big with their unusual nail polish shades. Here are more fun facts about this nail color, if you’d like to know more!

Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Rouge Noir (18)

There has occasionally been some confusion about the naming of this shade, but whether it’s called Rouge Noir or Vamp (both numbered 18, confusingly, and Vamp nowadays is a lighter shade with a bit of shimmer), it’s most definitely a classic in nail polish history.

Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Rouge Noir (18)

Rouge Noir is the blackest, darkest red cream that stops short of looking just black. There are many similar shades nowadays, and most large nail polish brands have their version of it.

I was never a big fan of Chanel’s older nail polish formula. It always seemed a little bit streaky to me, and certainly not the quality that I expected for a luxury-priced product. I did own a few Chanels, however, mostly due to the always on-point shade selection and the superb packaging.

When Chanel revamped (heh) their nail polish earlier this year and introduced Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour, I rejoiced! And the first shade I tried was magnificent.

Since then, I’ve picked up several more Chanels—many using my Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum Points—and during my last haul, I chose Rouge Noir again. (I do own the original Rouge Noir, and will do a comparison soon.)

The new Longwear version of Rouge Noir applies much more nicely than the old one. It has a plush, gel-like consistency and does not streak when applied. It is a little bit prone to “bald spots” near the cuticle, but an extra coat fixes that pretty well. I still find that Rouge Noir needs either two thick coats or three thin ones to be perfectly even and opaque, but application is so much easier now that I don’t mind it. Deeply pigmented shades tend to require at least two coats, anyway.

So far, I think this is a lovely polish and a fine choice for the iconic deep red look. Chanel’s new formula also dries to a beautiful, glossy shine, though I tend to care less about this since I usually use a top coat when doing a full manicure.

I’m really looking forward to swatching up my other vampy reds and comparing them all in a megapost! This is, after all, the right season for vampies!

Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Rouge Noir (18), swatch

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Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour retails for US$28 / CA$33 and is 0.4 US fl oz / 13 mL. The polish is free of toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and is made in France.

Chanel S.A. is a private company based in Paris, France. It was originally founded in 1909 by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel; its current owners are descendants of one of her early business partners.

It’s so amazing about the Toronto FC! Our sports teams are just top of the class lately, aren’t they? (ahem Leafs ahem)
Holy crap, 21 years?! But but but… you’re only 21 yo. You met at a play date, right? 😉
I’m still mad Swiss Chalet changed from Toblerone to Lindt! 😛
Is this a must have shade from Chanel? I’ve been wanting to pop my Chanel nail polish cherry.

Yes, the TO sports teams have been doing well! I mean, the Jays and Raptors and stuff. 😀 Didn’t the Argos do quite well a few yrs back?

LOL I wish I was 21 again! And hey, Lindt >>> Toblerone! Hahaha. I hate Toblerone. And they changed the shape, now…

Rouge Noir is a gorgeous shade, but hardly unique. Chanel does so many really beautiful colors that I don’t think this one is a must-have. Plenty of similarly great vampy reds out there, that are also much cheaper. I’d save the Chanel monies for the exceptional colors.